Getting things done!

A very common problem that people face on a day to day basis is procrastination and lack of time-management. The consequences can vary from loss of confidence to an absolutely chaotic lifestyle. Management experts have been penning tonnes of books every now and then to help people live an organized life. However, most of the tips mentioned in such books make our brains feel heavy and we end up concentrating more on maintaining schedules and fixtures instead of focusing on the actual work.

In this article I would try and present a few simple steps which I personally feel are very effective in getting things done in a complete manner and on time :

1. Just go for it, avoid over-analyzing

The moment you feel a task needs to be done, just begin without giving it a second thought. Normally when it comes to doing something, people start doing all sorts of analysis like : Should I do it now? What are the other options…What about taking a bit of rest and then beginning…How much time would it take for me to complete…I would start after lunch…

All this analysis simply complicates things for us and we tend to get into a lazy state of mind. To avoid such situations, simply stop analyzing and get going with your task at that very moment, irrespective of the conditions.

2. Avoid looking at the watch

Contrary to what time-management gurus say regarding timing you tasks, I feel that the best way to do something is to do it without any mental time limitations. This way one would be able to concentrate entirely on the task instead of carrying a mental baggage and fear of getting it done on time. In case you do have time limitations, just set up an alarm and then forget about the time. Let the clock intimate you when the time is up.

3. Take it one at a time

When you are involved in a particular task, do not think about the other tasks scheduled for the day. Concentrating on a single task at a time gets things done faster and in a better manner.

4. Do not care about the result

When involved in something, avoid thinking about the end result. Thoughts on whether you would be able to complete the task in the required manner and on time add unnecessary mental baggage and ultimately affect your concentration.

5. When working under pressure, concentrate on the current ’second’

In today’s age of deadlines and cut-offs, the best way to deal with pressure is to relax and concentrate only the present ’second’. Take it second by second and try to feel that you are a part of this very moment. Forget about everything beyond and before that. Everytime your concentration hinders, take a deep breath and focus at your task, ignoring the surroundings. This way you would feel relaxed and would ultimately enjoy your work.

6. Avoid strict task scheduling at the beginning of the day

Time-management experts talk about the necessity of maintaining daily diaries and schedule charts. However, lets assume that you have completed half of your day as per the schedule but due to some reason you end up going off-track in the afternoon. This would put you in a negative frame of mind and for the rest of the day your mind would be competing with itself to be on time rather than focusing on getting your tasks done in the best possible manner. So , its better to give your mind some breathing space and being flexible with your schedule.

7. Inculcate a dynamic thought process

Try taking decisions on the spot instead of getting pre-meditated. Too much of planning leads to over-utilization of your brain (in an inefficient manner). Even our brain needs some fresh air. Allow your brain to relax and pep up at the right time. This would help you extract maximum power out of your brain.

All the suggestions mentioned above have one objective in common : Relieving the brain of unwanted clutter. The lighter we feel in our minds, the more effective we would be at work and a light mind is the ultimate secret to a stress free life.